Under The Big Top Read online

  I had to meet the foreman. I wondered where he was and whether he had braved the funfair. It was time to find out.

  Stepping from the pavement onto the grass, I felt it flatten beneath my feet as I stepped towards the fence that was erected around the perimeter. It had been put there by the council as a safety precaution. I ducked through a gap where a small hole at the bottom of a panel had eroded over time, then crossed the threshold into the amusement park.

  As my vision roved around the derelict park, a fleeting shadow cross my mind. I just had to find out which spirit remained here and why. Easy, right?

  Dark clouds threatened rain, and I hoped that at least if it began falling, I’d be able to find shelter.

  “Hello?” I called, and my voice fell dead.

  It was like the place had sucked out all life around it.

  I began my journey through the maze of contraptions and canvases, moving through the grounds, my feet hitting the dry earth with a thump. I was glad I’d worn trainers when I tripped over a huge mound of mud and my toes compacted.

  Cursing, I straightened and looked around. Nobody was there to have seen me. Or nobody alive, anyway. I continued, winding through various rides and side stalls. I passed bins that had rotted, still full of something that would’ve been rubbish a long time ago but was now nothing more than mulch. I walked by a deflated balloon that was pinned to the ground beneath a plank of wood, the top of it fluttering in the cool breeze as if it was still trying to get away.

  I saw curtained small tops meant for psychics and such like and I wondered if there had been a freak show. Something told me that if I looked hard enough, I would find one. I moved past the faded stripes of the small tents and stared at an old merry-go-round. The horses had been static for years, the paint peeled, leaving weathered garish white mounts. One horse had broken from its tether and was lying on the grass, the muzzle disintegrated into nothing.

  Skirting around it, I stared at the cracked mirrors in the centre of the ride. Beyond the dirt, it reflected the darkening clouds.

  “Peyton?” a male voice called.

  I whirled around and saw two men marching towards me. They were distinguishable by clothing. The foreman had on steel toe-capped boots, a high vis jacket, and a hard hat. The second man wore an ill-fitting suit, the tie flapping wildly as he walked in his pointed, shiny shoes. I wondered how long they would stay that clean.

  “Hello. Yes, I’m Peyton.”

  “I’m Rob.” The foreman stuck his hand out for me to shake.

  His grasp was firm and warm, and I relaxed.

  “And this is Terry from the Council.”

  Terry’s grasp was weaker than a baby’s grip. “Nice to meet you both.”

  “Shall we head into the tent over there,” Rob said. “I think it’s going to rain.”

  “Lead the way.” I motioned.

  With a nod, Rob took off in the direction of the huge tent. I stared up at it, marvelling over the fact that the big top had managed to keep its canvas for all of this time.

  Rob’s steps were sure and confident, whereas Terry took his time picking through the dirt, avoiding anything that looked suspicious. His head was down as he searched for ever-present threats to his shoes or his health. I’m sure there were plenty, but this wasn’t the time to be worry about it. He was clearly so out of his league it was unreal.

  Rob held up the curtain, and Terry passed through with a slight grimace as he thanked the foreman and I stepped in after him.

  Inside, the dome of the big top reached up until shadows sprouted from its centre like tendrils. Despite the rips in the fabric of the tent, it provided good shelter from the wind and what would be the coming rain. I took a deep breath and a moment to pull myself together as I gazed at the interior of the huge stadium. A few old chairs lay broken and scattered across the floor as if they had given up on life. Other than that, the ground looked much like it had outside, with lashings of rubbish and streamers and remnants of a funfair from long ago. Ahead of me, there was a stage complete with red curtains framing the set, but they too had been torn and one of them was burned.

  “I never came in here as a kid. Was it a circus?” I strolled forward, passing the huge beam in the middle that held up the fabric of the tent.

  When the carnival was up and running, I could imagine how it would’ve been. People packed under the tent in their little wooden seats, the mingling smells of popcorn and candy floss in the air, and on the stage, someone performing.

  “Not exactly.” Rob shook his head. “It was a performing area. Things like the strongman and other performers of the freak show. There were singers and dancers, too.”

  “A freak show?” I stared up at the stage.

  “Yeah. It was Rob Canelleni’s famous freak show. Though I’m sure it wasn’t called that. Political correctness and all that. He had a whole host of people to perform. I remember coming here and seeing it, but all I remember was the atmosphere. Couldn’t beat it.”

  “And now you’ve been sent to tear it down.” I shook my head. “This was way more than just a funfair.”

  “That’s right. It was,” Terry said. “Now down to business, if we can. I have another meeting to attend in half an hour.”

  “Okay.” I nodded as I drew a clipboard out of my bag. “I just have a few questions if—”

  “I’ll be asking the questions,” Terry said.

  My jaw dropped.

  “I’ll need to know your experience and background in this industry.”

  “Industry?” I spluttered. “Ghost hunting isn’t exactly the same as working in the mines or the shipyards.”

  “No. I can well imagine.” He paused, pursing his lips. “But you do have experience?” He stood poised, with a pen over a piece of paper in a small leather holder.

  “Of course. I run a business and—”

  “Could you detail your work history for the last year, please?” His beady eyes fixed me.

  “Hold on.” I held up my hand as I took a deep breath to calm my rising irritation. “You asked me to come here. You asked me to help you out. If I’m going to do that, I need the answers from you. I will not be put on trial here.”

  “It’s a mere formality.” Terry waved his hand. “If you’re going to be employed by the Council under any circumstances, there has to be a vetting process.”

  I scoffed. “Vetting process? I think what we’re dealing with here is more important.” I tapped the clipboard. “Whatever information you give me is going to determine the sort of work I do and how I do it. So . . .” I took another deep breath, “are you going to cooperate, or do you want to find another ghost hunter?”

  “Fine.” He slammed the pen down and folded the leather book shut. Pink blotches appeared at the top of his cheeks as he continued to stare at me. “What do you want to know?”

  “Well, actually, since Rob was working here with his men, I think he’ll be better suited to answer the questions.” I turned to the foreman, who was barely able to hide the smirk on his face. “Do you mind?”

  “Not at all.” Terry shook his head, glancing at the floor, and regaining his composure.

  “Okay, so tell me what you’ve seen or experienced.”

  “I have to admit, I haven’t seen anything myself, although this whole place does have a creepy vibe. But the men, they’ve heard voices whispering, seen things moving.”

  I nodded as I scribbled it down on the referral sheet. “How long have you been working here?”

  “We managed a week, where we started to dismantle one ride at the far corner, and then everyone took off.”

  “And how many men?”

  “We had twenty.”

  “And not one of them would stay?”

  He shook his head. “My buddy Ken told me he heard someone tell him he was going to die. He’s one of the bravest men I know. Goes diving with sharks in his spare time, but he took off running and refuses to come back.”

  “Okay.” I made another few scribbles
. “And the voices. Has anyone else reported hearing them?”

  “A few men. It’s always a different line, but amounts to the same thing. Promised death or revenge.”

  “Threats to kill,” I muttered as I noted it.

  “What did you say?” Terry barked.

  “Threats to kill.” I pinned him with my dead stare before returning to Rob. “Has anyone reported seeing anything?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Shadows. They were seeing shadows all over the place. Shadows that shouldn’t have been in the places they were at the times of day they were.”

  I nodded and jotted the word shadows. “And when you say they saw things moving?”

  “Mostly just things out the corner of their eye. Like when you think there’s a black cat and you turn to look and nothing’s there.”

  “That can happen during extreme exhaustion.”

  “It can.” He nodded. “But not to five men all at once, who are just starting their shift.”

  “I have to admit, that’s a bit odd.” I nodded. “Okay, gentleman, I think there’s certainly something to look into here. I’ll conduct an investigation.”

  “You? On your own? Don’t you have a team or something?” Terry looked shocked as his gaze wavered between me and Rob.

  “Technically, I do have a team. Olivia and I work together to run Soul Seekers. However, I’m the ghost hunter and I’ll do the exploring,” I retorted. “I’ll start tonight for the initial investigation, and then report my findings to you. After that, you can decide whether you want to go ahead with the service and the fees involved. How does that sound?”

  “Great,” Rob said.

  “What sort of fees?” Terry asked.

  “The fees are relative in terms of the time and service provided, including the dangerous aspect of my work.”

  “You don’t really believe in all this, do you?” Terry scoffed.

  “Yes. And obviously you do, too. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”

  * * *

  My meeting with Rob and Terry had gone relatively well despite Terry’s grilling. If he had dug any deeper, or if I hadn’t been as strong willed, he would’ve exposed me. Not that I was ashamed of my past. I had my reasons to start drinking and I had triumphed.

  Now I had to go back to the office and relay it all to Olivia, who I was still mad at.

  I opened the door and hurried up the stairs, my boots thumping on the hollow risers. Then I burst into the long passage of Soul Seekers. Taking a deep breath, I moved past the old brown couch that was way beyond sagging, and into the office. As soon as I stepped in, Olivia whipped towards me, her hands dropping from the computer, to her lap.

  She stood up and moved forward as if she was going to hug me, then stopped.

  “Peyton.”

  “I don’t want to argue.” I held up my hand.

  “No. I want to apologise.”

  Now I stopped dead in my tracks. It was rare to hear an apology fall from her.

  “You do?” My brow arched as I stared at her.

  She nodded. “I didn’t mean to go on before. I know it’s a sensitive subject. I guess I just thought . . . well, maybe that it would help. But you’re right, this is your business and it’s up to you what you take on.”

  She looked at me with wide eyes, magnified by the lenses of her glasses, pleading for everything to be okay.

  My heart melted.

  “It’s okay.” I shook my head. “But you got one thing wrong.”

  “What?” She worried her lip between her fingers.

  “This isn’t my business. It’s ours.”

  Her frown wilted, and the corners of her mouth turned up as she bridged the gap between us. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I was surrounded in a cloud of sweet perfume as I hugged her back. A hug from Olivia was even rarer than an apology.

  Then she stepped back, brushed herself down, and cleared her throat. “So what happened at Old Road Field?”

  I smiled. We were back to business. After setting the clipboard down on the bench, I set the kettle to boil, then turned to face her. She handed me her cup.

  “It went well. It seems that whatever is going on has got the whole workforce spooked.”

  “So you’re taking it?”

  “Yeah.” I nodded. “Though I’m not looking forward to being there after dark, I tell you.”

  “That creepy?”

  “Way creepy. Rob, the foreman, told me about everything that had gone on. But there was this other guy there. Terry, from the Council. He practically interrogated me.”

  “What?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “He wanted to know the ins and outs of my ghost hunting history.”

  “What did you tell him?”

  “I told him I was running this investigation and if he wanted the problem sorted so they could get rid of the fair, he would shut up and answer my questions.”

  Olivia grinned. “Did it work?”

  “He wasn’t too pleased, but yeah it worked. I’m going there tonight to complete the initial investigation.”

  “Great. Do you want me to stay in the office while you’re there?”

  “Nah, I’ll be fine. It’s just a brief exploration, so there’s nothing much you can do.”

  “No problem.”

  “I’m going to have a coffee, then go home and get a few hours rest.”

  “I’ll make them.” Olivia brushed past me and began scooping various powders into our cups.

  I sat back on my crooked chair and watched her work, revelling in my best friend running around after me for once.

  * * *

  The office was dark when I stepped back in. I climbed the stairs, thankful we’d managed to find a space that was spirit-free; at least there were a few spaces in my life I could go without being harassed.

  After bypassing the office, I moved to the kit room, let myself in, and turned the light on. We had built up a good resource of equipment.

  I picked up my old backpack and loaded it with the stuff I’d need. I went for the EMF metre, the spirit box, a digital voice recorder, and a torch or two. I also grabbed a thermal device for extra measure. Then I picked up a head torch and slipped it on over my forehead to check that it was working, before turning off the light and heading back outside.

  After locking the office, I jumped into Thumper and started the engine. She growled beneath me like a cat. Then for the second time that day, I headed towards Old Road Field.

  I parked and stared up at the gargantuan monoliths that made up the funfair. In the dark, they were even more foreboding, and I shivered as I continued to stare at the darkness beyond the fence. I was going in there and I was going in alone. I half thought about calling Olivia, but instead I pushed the door open and stepped out, then grabbed the backpack and swung it over my shoulders.

  We had already agreed that she would be key in communications, and that meant not coming with me every damn time I needed to check something out. Still, I couldn’t help the knot of apprehension that tightened in my stomach as I moved towards the fence.

  I parked in the same place as earlier that day, and a street light highlighted the gap in the fence where I would enter the funfair. I just hoped I’d be able to find my way back.

  With a deep breath, I crouched and stepped though the fence. Crossing the barrier dimmed the light from the street, and I reached up to turn on my torch. The white light shot though the darkness, but it still didn’t feel like enough. I wanted to be surrounded by white light, bathe in it, but this would have to do. I needed my hands free for equipment, and another torch would encumber that.

  Delving into my pack, I scrambled about until I came up with a digital voice recorder which I switched on and stuffed into my pocket, the K2 metre, and a thermal reader.

  “This is Peyton Blaine beginning the preliminary investigation of the funfair at Old Road Field. What follows is a true account of events.”

 
; I knew the DVR would catch everything so I forced my legs to start moving.

  I felt like I was being swallowed up by the infinite darkness. The huge machinery and oversized side-shows dwarfed me and created shadows that lurked amongst the blackness.

  I wanted to turn back and get out of there, but I pressed on. I trekked through the tents that moved in the darkness, the huge sheets of fabric rising gently off the floor and waving as the wind rushed through them. I moved past rides that had lain silent for years, like beasts doomed to hibernation.

  The K2 metre in my hand shone green like a beacon, a welcomed relief as I traversed the darkness. I cut through the fear and kept moving at a crawling pace.

  Each step took me closer to the heart of the funfair—the big top. Everything in my body told me not to go in there, yet my entrance was inevitable. I just hoped I could get in and out in one piece.

  The big top reared up in front of me, the white stripes of the tent stark against the darkness, casting an ivory light that my head torch reflected. I reached the open doorway and paused at the threshold. My head swivelled as I searched every corner of the place. Stupid, I know, but it made me feel better and reassured me that I was alone.

  Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside and was enveloped in a deep chill that permeated my skin and crept down to the bone. Goosebumps rose, and I shivered as the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I glanced down to my right hand, and the temperature radar showed that it had dropped a few degrees. Outside, it had been tolerable. But in here, the cold was brutal.

  First indicator.

  “Temperature dropped to minus one after I stepped inside the big top.”

  I pushed the radar into my pocket and grabbed the K2 metre. Then I hiked through the big top. I cautiously moved past broken chairs and rubbish that had been strewn across the ground. The metre changed to amber as soon as I took a few steps into the tent.

  I took a deep breath. “K2 metre reading amber after moving ten feet into the big top.”

  I kept walking, holding the metre out in front of me like a shield, waving it left and right, searching for readings. The whole tent was up in amber, except when I pointed the metre towards centre stage.